Tony Castles: No Service EP Review

It’s a bit hard not to categorize Brooklyn trio The Tony castles straight out of the box. For one thing the descriptor “Brooklyn dream pop” will probably immediately elicit some weary sighs from over-saturated music fans, and if you actually get as far as listening: lead vocalist Paul Siciliano’s falsetto at times sounds like a spot on impression of Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. While Tony Castles may be cut from some of the same cloth as their indie scene peers though, there is also quite a bit that sets them apart. The band’s new Ep, No Service, shows more promise than the “just the next indie poppers out of Brooklyn” tag allows them.

For starters rather than just crafting a catchy hook and hanging an entire song on it, No Service is filled with four minute plus tunes that are fleshed out with modular shifts and intricately wrought instrumentation. Like their Vampire Weekend peers Siciliano and company traffic in jangly West African guitar playing styles, but unlike them they aren’t completely defined by that sound. The jaunty dexterity of “New Brain” brings to mind more the less pop-oriented style of Fools Gold, and tracks like “Black Girls In Dresses” and “Adequate Sheen” are far more defined by their hazy synthesizer beats than the guitar. They (particularly the latter) come off sounding far more in debt to dream pop and new wave than anything African inspired. Lead track “No Service” even adds in an element of Jamaican dub, proving that the band’s influences run far and wide. The best track though is probably the slightly abrasive synth/punk “Dream Job” which balances out its aggressive drums and bass with tinkling keys and distorted background noise. And in it Siciliano’s unhinged vocals are a far more welcome sound than his more polished work on the rest of the EP.

Though not perfect, The Tony castles No Service EP provides a pretty intriguing listen as well as demonstrating a lot of promise for the young band. While on the surface they might resemble on more face in the encroaching horde of Brooklyn indie pop, they do in fact seem to have the talent to set themselves apart.

Don’t think it’s outrageous. Helmets, now more the norm than a basic ski hat, are a hot gift. And for good reason. They are safer, warmer and more comfortable to wear in any weather.

At Ski Markets across the area, helmet sales have grown, noted Walter Driscoll, vice president of marketing. “With all the innovations in helmets recently, sales just keep on growing,” he said.

Driscoll points to the new integration of goggles and helmets as a big reason those who held off are now buying. Anyone knows you’d choose a great helmet and then pull out your great goggles and somehow, it never quite fit to a T. Now, Driscoll said, companies, like Smith, long dominant in the goggle market, are coming out with their own helmets that match up perfectly with Smith goggles. And helmet companies like Giro are now making goggles, too. go to web site smith goggles

This means the two will fit, and you won’t get air leaks or fog ups that can be annoying, at least, and dangerous, at best.

No need to worry about an odd fit anymore, either. All three major helmet companies now feature size trimming, a process that allows you to make a helmet custom-fit your head. All have dial systems that help you actually mold the helmet to your head.

There also are accessories for helmets. Adults and kids might love the `Tune Up’ and `Tune Up II’ that allow you to play your iPod through speakers in the padding around your ears in the helmet. In some cases, although you have to question how much you want this while skiing, they can hook up to your cell phone. Little kids and some fun-loving adults also love the helmet covers that dress them up like a princess, a dragon and all kinds of wacky things.

Helmets are getting stronger and lighter, too, which makes them all the easier to wear.

So is a helmet the right gift for a mountain-loving friend? Absolutely. But Driscoll warns the fit choice can be very personal. Your best bet is to get a gift card and remind your loved one to bring their goggles along when they shop. Or just purchase a helmet and goggles together.

As for the helmet hair, it’s a must on the mountains. Call it a fashion `do.’ Mccarthy, Moira